I'm Duncan Scott, screenwriter for Atlas Shrugged Part III. Ask me anything.

Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago to Entertainment
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Long ago, I worked directly with Ayn Rand to edit the movie, "We The Living." Today, I'm honored and thrilled to be writing the Atlas Shrugged Part III screenplay. I'll be returning here at around 4PM ET this afternoon, for about an hour, to answer your questions and read your comments. I look forward to hearing from everyone!

Duncan

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EDIT 1: Duncan has just logged in and will be on with us for the next hour or so. He told me to let everyone know that he's really pleased to be here and looks forward to getting into it with everyone. Have fun!

EDIT 2: "Thank you very much. I enjoyed everyone's questions. I have to sign off now, but I will check back later and try to address follow up questions as time permits." - Duncan
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GALT'S GULCH EVENT TIPS
1. Read all of the previously asked questions before submitting your own. Your question may have already been asked.
2. Write one question per comment.
3. Vote on questions submitted by others. The most popular questions and comments will rise to the top.

Keep in mind, Duncan has only limited time to spend in the Gulch today and may not get to all of your questions. That doesn't mean he won't be back however so, be nice. :)

Scott (sdesapio)

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A four time Emmy Award winner, Duncan Scott has directed over 140 projects for film, television, and theater, including adaptations of novels by Ayn Rand, the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Duncan worked with Rand to adapt and re-edit the film version of her book, We the Living, and his production company now owns and distributes the movie. He also conceived and developed The Objectivist History Project, an on-going series of video interviews with the leaders and key thinkers that Rand inspired during her lifetime.

Buy the "We the Living" DVD: http://bit.ly/WeTheLivingDVD
Buy Duncan's "The Birth of Objectivism" DVD Set: http://bit.ly/TheBirthOfObjectivism

All Comments

Previous comments...   You are currently on page 2.
  • Posted by Hawron 11 years ago
    Ragnar Danneskjöld is one of my favourite characters in the story, but there may not be time to tell his story & several other side plots in the main movie.

    Have you thought about the possibility of doing an separate animated series of shorts to fill in some of the story plots? This would be similar to the ones done for Sucker Punch on the Blu-Ray extras, or similar to the linking animation parts in Sin City. Possibly it could be paid for by crowd sourcing funding with DVD preorders for it when it is done.
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I've never been big on "What's your favorite" type questions, but there are two scenes, one at the beginning, the other at the end, that I'm particularly pleased with -- can't say more right now.
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  • Posted by Jeanne101 11 years ago
    The description of John Galt would have him looking like Kyle in Terminator 1: Michael Biehn. How Galt looks is important to believing his words, I hope visual reality is satisfied and you find the right actor.
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  • Posted by $ GMudd 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    That would be some kind of fun, That many like minded individuals in one place at one time!
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  • Posted by sdesapio 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    We're working on some things for Gulch members Rocky. No idea when the premiere will be just yet but, as we're looking to be in theaters mid 2014, you can count on it being around then.
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Ahh, that's a bit far off, but I would pose the question again here in the Gulch when it's closer to the release date.
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I haven't been writing with a particular actor in mind. I'm hoping that an actor is cast is an unknown or nearly unknown so that we don't associate him with other roles, or off-screen activities.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Tease! I expect this film to be awesome just as the final part of the book was. It pulls everything together. It is the climax! In this way it also has a greater potential for commercial success. Don't you agree?
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Wow. Well I tried to convince the producers that I could channel Ayn Rand, but it's not really true. I CAN draw from my experience working with her while we adapted the old film classic, WE THE LIVING. Even though that film had been made without her involvement, she recognized what it did accomplish and, with some revisions, she wanted to see that film released. I think she will be very pleased with AS-3.
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  • Posted by IndianaGary 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm glad to hear that; Project X is a key component to Part III. While not essentially an SF movie, I do hope that the effects are done at least as well as the John Galt Line bridge.
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Starting a movie that's two thirds into the novel and finding ways to get the viewer caught up without resorting to a lot of backstory. Along with this, I felt it important to re-engage the viewer with Dagny -- who she is and why we should care about her. I've worked out a very interesting opening for the film to this end that I can't divulge right now.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    It must be tough, realizing you will be criticized no matter what choices you make when selecting what will and what will not make it. That's why they pay you the big bucks... Well that's the line I'm handed anyway... :)
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  • Posted by $ DuncanScott 11 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes, and it will be integrated into the storyline near the beginning and near the end of movie in a way that I think viewers will find satisfying. That said, AS-3 is not a sci-fi movie and we are not building up the importance of Project X. It serves to show people the extent to which the govt. is willing to go to control anyone who doesn't cooperate.
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